Over 50 students, teachers climb hill daily in Keonjhar to get network access for online studies

Keonjhar: Due to corona virus pandemic while school and colleges are shut students have been provided education through online classes. However, for this type of arrangement one must have an internet network with proper speed and access, which is tough to get in many cases.

While in cities and urban areas this problem is not that much if you have paying capacity, in rural pockets the problem has come up as a big issue. Recently, it has been seen that not only students but even teachers are climbing hills to get network access for their online classes and training sessions respectively.

The tribal dominated Krushnapur under Telkoi block in Odisha’s Keonjhar district does not have proper network access. Hence, more than fifty students are seen regularly climbing up to the top of the nearby hill to get access to internet network for their online classes. Most of these students are admitted to educational institutions in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar. Yet, their institutions are closed these days and they are being given online education, for which they need to sign in at their own to the respective sites or Apps.

However, sans nearby mobile network they are climbing the hill which is perilous due to fear of wild animals and the problem of climbing to a hill with all the gears for study.

While this is the story of the students, even teachers are not barred. In Telkoi block of keonjhar district teachers are being given training for online education which has been provided on the internet. Hence, many of them are seen going to the Panchagochhia hill near Khuntapada 40 kms away from their place for internet access. Their training session started from August 1. Under this programme teachers of districts like Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara and Khordha are being online training through an App. However, due to network issue they are facing immense problems.